Cantus
by mmouse15
Summary: November 2008 challenge - sing to awaken a missing Autobot. Movie 'verse Prowl and Jazz.


Title: Cantus

By: mmouse15

Rating: K+

Warnings: Mentions of character death, but it's not my fault. It's Michael Bay's fault, and I don't like it.

'Verse: 2007 movie 'verse

Characters: Prowl, Jazz, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Sam, Optimus, mentions of Ironhide and others.

A/N: For the LJ prowlxjazz community mini-challenge, November 2008. The prompt was:

**Sing to awaken a missing Autobot**

So, Prowl's alt mode is entirely Vejiraziel's invention. I really do like how that Charger looks, and I can't think of Prowl any other way in movie 'verse.

* * *

"So, Bee, you want to explain to me why, exactly, Ratchet's spending so much time on Jazz? I mean, he's, like, you know, dead."

"I do not know myself, Sam. I merely trust that Ratchet has his reasons." Bumblebee moved to sit down, carefully checking the area so that he didn't accidently sit on something or someone he shouldn't.

Sam waited until Bee was settled, then clambered on to his friend's leg, leaning back against the yellow torso. Bee curved a hand around just in case he slipped, then rested it on the concrete floor after Sam was settled. They both watched the other end of the Quonset hut where Ratchet had set up his shop and was working on the two pieces of Prime's lieutenant, carefully matching up wires and welding struts and plates together. Sam slipped into a doze, still recovering from his injuries and the strenuous exercise of Mission City. Bumblebee watched over him and the medic.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Ratchet took two days to finish putting Jazz together, then another day was spend polishing his armour. Sam couldn't understand what was going on, but he had to admit Jazz looked good. Over the next two months, more Autobots arrived to Earth, and Sam enjoyed meeting them and getting to know them. He occasionally had a passing regret that he hadn't had the chance to get to know Jazz better. He would still think about their first meeting, the 'what's crackin' comment, and he found out from Bee that while Bee was an extremely good scout, Jazz was the member of their team that was the first to adapt to a new culture. Part of his programming, perhaps, but the lieutenant has quick to pick up the languages and their idioms, loved music of any kind, was eager to try something new. The new arrivals were upset to find that Jazz hadn't made it, and Sam enjoyed the evenings at Autobot's base, hearing about Jazz and others that had passed into the matrix.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Sam crawled out of bed, glancing at his clock. Eleven AM, not bad. Like almost any teenager, he enjoyed the opportunity to sleep, but Bumblebee had asked him to not sleep today away since another arrival was due sometime today. He took a shower and wandered down to the kitchen, idly opening the refrigerator in search of something to eat. His mother had left a plate of pancakes, covered in wrap, on the the top shelf. He pulled it out, stuck it in the microwave to warm, and pulled out the milk. Glancing outside, he saw his mother working away in her flower beds, so he pulled out a glass rather than drinking from the jug. The microwave beeped, and he pulled out his breakfast. After he finished, he rinsed his dishes and put them in the dishwasher, then headed out to greet his mom.

"Hi, Mom!"

"Sam. Oh, it's good that you're up. You've been getting calls all morning long from someone named 'Hide, telling you that you need to show up soon. What kind of a name is 'Hide? Anyway, you need to be home by midnight, and whatever you do, stay safe. Oh, and call if you need anything, you know that your father and I will come and get you, no questions asked."

Sam was used to the bewildering array of questions from his maternal parent, and merely kissed her cheek. "I'll be fine, Mom, and yes, I'll be home on time. Love you, 'bye!" He opened the door to the Camaro and crawled in. Bumblebee started himself and backed out of the driveway.

"So, buddy, where are we going?"

"Prowl is arriving very soon."

"Prowl, Prowl, do I know this name?"

"Prowl was Optimus' lieutenant, but when the Allspark was lost, Prime asked him to lead another unit and promoted Jazz from third to second of his unit."

"OK, so what's it mean that Prowl's coming here?"

"Well, it will be Prowl and hopefully, the other four mechs of his unit arriving, although I wouldn't be surprised if Prowl comes down first before letting them come down planetside."

Sam thought about that for a moment, then asked. "Why would he do that?"

"He was our tactician, and he would feel that he could get a better feel for the situation if he was 'eyes on the ground' before exposing the remainder of his team to any danger."

"Oh."

"Prowl is sometimes overly cautious."

"And other times?"

"His caution is justified."

Sam murmured an agreement, then laughed as they cleared Tranquility and hit the open highway and Bee opened the throttle, the force of his acceleration pushing Sam back into his seat. Bumblebee poured on the speed.

"Not that I'm complaining, but why are we going so fast?"

"Prowl is expected in just a few minutes, Sam, and I would like to be there."

"Ok, buddy."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Prowl's chosen landing spot was close to the base, out in the desert. Bumblebee had to stop at an Army checkpoint before he was allowed to continue on his way. When they pulled up, the rest of the Autobots were already waiting. Sam got out of Bee so he could transform and walked over to join Will Lennox and Rob Epps.

"Hey, Sam." Was Will's greeting.

"Hi, Will, Rob." Sam answered.

"Man, this one's big. Everybody's excited about it."

"Yeah."

"He's already landed, about ten miles from here. Ironhide says he's scanned an alt mode and will be here in about twenty minutes." Lennox told them.

"Wow, that was fast." Sam answered.

"I get the impression from 'Hide that Prowl has a purpose here on Earth, and that's why everything is moving so quickly."

Silence lapsed between them. Suddenly, Bumblebee turned back to the group of human allies, folding himself down into his car form and opening his door.

"Get in, Sam, we're going to the base."

Sam got in, noticing that Lennox was going with Ironhide and Epps was going with Optimus. Ratchet was already in motion, streaking across the desert with his sirens howling and his lights flashing.

At the base, the Autobots quickly moved into their robotic forms as a dust cloud boiled across the desert towards them. The cloud slowed as it got nearer, and Sam could finally resolved the car form that was making the dust. It looked like a patrol car, and he felt a thrill of terror run down his spine.

"Bee, are you sure that isn't Barricade?"

"Yes, Sam."

"OK, as long as you're sure." Sam moved back, though, unable to help himself.

The new car stopped about thirty meters from the group and unfolded. Sam watched the transformation in awe. He didn't think he'd ever get over his amazement at watching something as ordinary as a car change into a giant robotic organism. The arrival unfolded, his front doors becoming wings, his rear doors slung low on his backside, a set of rocket launchers unfolding over his shoulders, his ram bars breaking to frame his chest. His helm was decorated with a boomerang shape on the top which unfolded into sharp points, the center of it crowned by a glowing golden shield. He was mostly white, with bits of grey and black scattered across his form.

"Man, that chevron makes him look even more fierce." Was Epps' opinion. Sam glanced over at him, then back to the police car in front of them.

"Prowl. Welcome to Earth."

Prowl knelt down, bowing his head. "Prime. So good to see you again." He rose, nodding to each of the Autobots in turn. "Ironhide. Bumblebee. Perceptor. Gears. Brawn. Ratchet."

"Prowl." Was Ratchet's greeting. "This way." He motioned into the building behind them, and Prowl moved forward, following the medic.

As a group, the Autobots trailed behind the medic and the newly arrived tactician. Will, Sam and Rob moved to a human sized door and entered the building through it. Once the Cybertronians were still, the humans moved among them. Bee reached down to pick up Sam, Ironhide lifted Will, and Perceptor scooped up Epps. The humans looked toward the table that held Jazz's remains. Ratchet was speaking in a very quiet voice to Prowl, and the tactician nodded once. Ratchet started folding back the tarp that covered the lieutenant's body. Once Jazz was fully exposed, Ratchet stepped back. Prowl moved to the side of the table, ghosting his hands over Jazz's body. He carefully moved his hands over the Solstice, tracing the form that was new to his optics. Prowl moved down the torso, over the legs, then moved to the end of the table, standing with his hands extended over Jazz's feet.

Sam sent a questioning glance to Bumblebee, who gave a small shake of his head. Sam returned his eyes to Prowl.

The Charger was vocalizing, sub harmonics that caused a frisson of unease to run over Sam's spine, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. He remained silent for as long as possible, then whispered, "What's he doing?"

Bee was also very quiet, moving so that his vocalizer was next to Sam's head. "He's singing a song of mourning for Jazz."

Sam thought about that for a while as the weird harmonics continued, puzzling out what bothered him as best he could.

"Why didn't someone else do that? Why wait for Prowl? You could have done it."

Bumblebee looked at him, his expressive optics giving Sam the impression that his guardian wasn't sure how he'd take the next bit of information.

"Prowl is…was…Jazz's intended. It's not my place to sing the songs of mourning, it is proper that one's beloved sings your spark to the matrix."

Sam breathed an, "Oh!" and returned his attention to the mechs before him. Now he understood so much more. The rush for Prowl to be here, the unsettled feeling he'd gotten from Ratchet and Bumblebee, the intense sorrow he'd seen in Optimus' eyes, the grief exhibited by Ironhide. He didn't know the other Autobots as well, couldn't see what changes their grief had brought to them, but the original group he did know and could see the difference the loss of Jazz had brought to them. Jazz had been playful, smart, unswervingly loyal, and he had been the soul of the tightly knit group. Optimus was their head, Ironhide their muscle, Ratchet their conscious, and Bumblebee their youth, but Jazz…his loss was a blow from which they were still trying to recover.

Prowl tipped his head back, his grief almost visible in the low harmonics he was vocalizing. As he reached the end of his chant, a passing fancy caught him, and he smiled through his grief. He paused, then began the song of joy reserved for a bonding ceremony. He couldn't imagine another mech in his life. It had taken an extremely long time for Jazz to earn the title of friend, and longer to earn Prowl's trust enough to begin courting him. They had decided to put off their bonding until after the war was won, each so confident in the Autobot cause that they felt the war would be over soon, but it had dragged on and on, and then the Allspark was lost and events had rolled over them. Jazz had sworn to him that they would bond as soon as the Allspark had been found, that the war could stuff itself in the Pit at that point but Jazz wasn't waiting any longer for Prowl. These thoughts ran through Prowl's processor as he sang of his great joy at arriving at the point of no return, the point of bonding, an irrevocable commitment between two Cybertronians. Prowl's normal inhibitions were gone, ravaged by his grief and his loss, and he sang the words that bonded him to his chosen mate, forever gone from him but he would never have another.

Sam didn't know what was going on, merely that Prowl's song had changed and a charge seemed to have run through the group of mechs he was with. They had exchanged glances, then straightened up and returned their gazes forward. Optimus had taken a step forward, and at a point in Prowl's song had sung back to him. Prowl responded and continued the song. Sam's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of blue against the wall of the open room and he gasped. Bumblebee moved to shush him, but Sam just pointed. Bee looked, and whatever he'd done caught everyone's attention as they looked over. Ratchet, on the far side of Jazz, looked too, but Prowl did not, continuing his song.

The fragment of the Allspark glowed brighter until Sam had to look away, the brightness too much for his eyes. A flash, then the light level returned to normal and Sam uncurled from his crouch in Bee's hands, unclenched his hands from their grips on Bee's armour, and he stood up again, looking toward the medical portion of the building.

A husky rasp filled the air. "Took ya long enough, Prowler."

Prowl was sobbing, his hands clenched around his lover's feet, his eyes on Jazz's face.

Jazz's visor started to glow, and the hum of starting systems filled the air. Sam hadn't realized how much noise a Cybertronian system made as it was starting up, but the noise was startling loud in the sudden silence that had followed Jazz's comment. The visor slid back, revealing Jazz's optics firmly fastened on the mech at his feet. Jazz responded with line of song, and Prowl straightened up and sang back to him. At that point, Optimus sang a line and Prowl moved, gliding along the table until he was bent over Jazz and their hands clasped each others, tangling together until Sam couldn't tell which clawed hand belonged to which mech.

"Love you. Forever mine, never to leave me."

"Never again. Welcome home, Jazz."


End file.
